Wednesday, May 30, 2007

It never fails, whenever our pastor is out of town- there is a crisis within a family in our church...

This week our entire staff is on a staff retreat and the church office is closed. Before 5am this morning, the R family's home caught on fire. I heard about it early this morning, when my friend C arrived at work and told me that she had seen fire trucks etc in front of the house. We saw a report on the local news and learned that everyone was OK, but that there was smoke and water damage... This evening I drove by the house to see it, and was stunned to realize that the entire back section of the home (where all the bedrooms are) was totaled. I suddenly wondered what they were able to salvage? Do they have toothbrushes? Do they have pj's and clean underwear to put on tomorrow morning?

I called on of our deacons (who is in charge in the absence of our pastor) and asked him what the family needed... He had been in touch with them already, but encouraged me to call them and see how we could help with immediate practical needs. After speaking with the family- my friend, L, and I hit Target. We bought 8 pairs of pj's for the family, packets of underwear and socks, toothbrushes and toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, razors and shaving cream etc. It was mind boggling to walk through the store and think "what would you need to get a family of 8 (including teenagers) through the next 24 hours?"... I stood in the ladies underwear aisle for the longest time trying to figure out what sizes to buy (why aren't women's underwear regular sizes anyway?). L was great- she was able to help me decide exactly what was a priority now, and what could wait until the family receives an insurance check...

After dropping L off. I went to deliver the bags to the R family at the hotel that their insurance company put them in. They seem in good shape emotionally- but are, understandably, still in shock. They told me that the insurance company has been great and is moving amazingly quickly. Tomorrow they will have a check to go out to buy clothes- they didn't even have time to put on shoes during the fire and only have slippers with them. It will probably be a year before they are back in their home.

Before I left I was able to pray with them. We prayed for peace and comfort. I also prayed for mental clarity as they now have a million things to deal with- insurance, what to salvage from the home, etc... If you think of them please pray as well...